Who do you tip, how much do you tip?

[bdm860]

In the middle of a move for work, moving 10-12 hours away from where I was living.  Company paid for movers to come pack up our one bedroom apartment (just me and the wife) as well as a car transport service.  Car transport arrives in a couple of hours, guy has been real easy to work with, wondering if I should tip him and if so how much should I tip him?

Also wondering what I should tip the movers.  When they came and packed us up, we bought them $50 worth of pizza, and then tipped the foreman $50 at the end.  It was a 5 person team.  Wife says the foreman appeared upset with the tip, but personally I don’t think they did a great job (not a bad job, just not great).  It will be a different set of movers who unpack the truck when it gets to our new apartment.  Maybe I’ll just skip buying them lunch and tip $20 head?  Am I being cheap?  Since the company is paying for it, don’t know what the movers and car transport service are already being paid.

We also hired a cleaning lady to do a deep clean to our apartment when we moved out.  Paid her $100 to clean our 1 bedroom apartment.  Would you tip her if she did a great job?  (FYI - wife thought she did a bad job, and so didn't tip her).

I’ve always been a little torn on tipping people who are already being paid a full rate for a service and/or were quoted a full rate for a job.  Would like to hear some other people’s opinions on it.  Especially in regards to movers and car transport.

Additional info: we have nothing special being moved, lived on 3rd floor apartment with no elevator, moving to 3rd floor apartment with no elevator.  I've paid movers out of my own pocket before, and they've always increased their quote based on # of floors/elevator options.  Also always considered myself a good tipper (20%+ at restaurants), but also very frugal (frugal/cheap when it comes to myself, but generous when it comes to others).

[Ogaju]

someone should write a handbook, because I also often wonder about tipping.

[Monkhouse]

Tip based on the service provided. If your wife believes adamantly, that the job that was completed wasn't done well, then don't tip well.

I always tip 20%, and try to tip at least 15%, even if the service was bad, because I'm a server at a restaurant.

For car transport, you should at least tip. If the company is paying for it, they aren't providing the tip either, assuming that's based on your judgement call.

Usually for manual labor, depending on the care provided for your belongings, and whether or not everything was set in place. Some movers have a company policy that if some fragile things are broken, they will not be replaced, and the moving company isn't expected to reimburse the cost either.

Generally, if the service provided was excellent, I would tip above 50, maybe skip the pizza, and just give them cash. Unless they explicitly ask for it.

I always have had issues with this beforehand, but the general rule of thumb is anything involving manual labor try to at least go around past 25%. Its pretty tough physical work, and there may be some mistakes involved down the line.

EDIT: People do get paid for stuff like this, but they don't get paid extraordinarily well. I worked at a movers company, but had to opt out due to how much stress it put on my back, and only made 13.00 dollars an hour, which isn't that bad, but considering you're only getting the hours that people request you for. I would work 20 hours a week, and make around 200-300 depending on tips. On a very busy holiday week where people are moving around more, I would walk out with 600-700 with the tips included, and it definitely helped my income.

[Csfan1984]

They get what you can give or feel like giving. Never feel obligated to tip. You do so under your own terms and conditions. People in service should understand not everyone has tons of money to tip well. Half of the people that work in a tip service themselves are bad tipers. I don't think twice about % or how a person reacts to a tip. Im not loaded and have too many bills myself to unresponisbly tip. So I tip based on the time of work in relation to minimum wage. Basically the min per one hour of their service is the start rate. If I feel well taken care of I tip extra but never more than what I make myself per an hour for their hour. Like I said I'm not made of $.

[bdm860]

Tip based on the service provided. If your wife believes adamantly, that the job that was completed wasn't done well, then don't tip well.

I always tip 20%, and try to tip at least 15%, even if the service was bad, because I'm a server at a restaurant.

For car transport, you should at least tip. If the company is paying for it, they aren't providing the tip either, assuming that's based on your judgement call.

Usually for manual labor, depending on the care provided for your belongings, and whether or not everything was set in place. Some movers have a company policy that if some fragile things are broken, they will not be replaced, and the moving company isn't expected to reimburse the cost either.

Generally, if the service provided was excellent, I would tip above 50, maybe skip the pizza, and just give them cash. Unless they explicitly ask for it.

I always have had issues with this beforehand, but the general rule of thumb is anything involving manual labor try to at least go around past 25%. Its pretty tough physical work, and there may be some mistakes involved down the line.

EDIT: People do get paid for stuff like this, but they don't get paid extraordinarily well. I worked at a movers company, but had to opt out due to how much stress it put on my back, and only made 13.00 dollars an hour, which isn't that bad, but considering you're only getting the hours that people request you for. I would work 20 hours a week, and make around 200-300 depending on tips. On a very busy holiday week where people are moving around more, I would walk out with 600-700 with the tips included, and it definitely helped my income.

So I want your opinion as a former mover.  Do I tip by person or tip by the job?  You said tip more than $50, is that per head or altogether?  If it's per head, I feel like I might be penalized for you bringing a bigger crew and getting it done quicker, when I really don't care how long it takes as long as it gets done within a day.

What did you consider a good tip to you as an individual?


Edit, also were you moving one apartment to another, or just an apartment to a truck?  What's going on here is a local crew comes and packs our apartment and loads up the truck, then a truck driver hauls it the 10-12 hours away, then another local crew comes and unloads the truck.  The frugal part of me feels like I'm might be paying 2 full tips for 2 halves of a normal job.

[mef730]

Cleaning woman: You did the right thing; in this case, no tip was necessary. Had it been cleaners who come regularly or semi-regularly, a Christmas tip is appropriate.

Movers: We moved into our house in 2010. I think we tipped $100 for a 3-guy crew.

Restaurants: Unless they sucked, we start at 20% and move up from there, depending upon how much of a mess our kids made.

Tipping is one of those things that, no matter how many times I do it or how much advice I get, I feel like I'm always doing it wrong.

Mike

[kozlodoev]

Cleaning woman: You did the right thing; in this case, no tip was necessary. Had it been cleaners who come regularly or semi-regularly, a Christmas tip is appropriate.

Movers: We moved into our house in 2010. I think we tipped $100 for a 3-guy crew.

Restaurants: Unless they sucked, we start at 20% and move up from there, depending upon how much of a mess our kids made.

Tipping is one of those things that, no matter how many times I do it or how much advice I get, I feel like I'm always doing it wrong.

This sounds reasonable. Especially the last sentence

I'd tip a 5-person moving crew $100 at least. I've moved myself a couple of times, and just saving me from trying to do that (again) would qualify as exceptional job in my mind.

[Chief]

I'm always confused about what to give the pizza delivery guy.

[outcry]

Always tip at a restaurant no matter how bad the service was, unless the server was exceptionally rude to you (which wouldn't happen because they wouldn't work there in the first place). Always 20% and up. My now separated wife and I would go to this restaurant quite a bit and would get the same waitress maybe 50% of the time we went. We'd always tip her well because she was great, and in turn you could tell she went above and beyond because she knew we would tip her well at the end of the night. Being a waiter or waitress is a tough job on top of being paid less than minimum wage. People who don't tip well don't understand that.

With movers I generally do $20 a head. If it's an all day thing I would tip more. Also, for people who say "I can't tip because I don't have a lot of money." Well, what are you doing eating out then?

[Celtics4ever]

I tip even my barber, and waitresses and waiters.   I tip bartenders in advance for good service a 10 usually and a 10 later on.  One has to tip, hotel workers too.   I have tipped movers who did a good job.   Generally if I am pleased with service I tip.


The minimum for me is 15%, that is what I tip for bad service.   I might even tip 25% for good service and 50% for outstanding.

[jambr380]

Cleaning woman: You did the right thing; in this case, no tip was necessary. Had it been cleaners who come regularly or semi-regularly, a Christmas tip is appropriate.

Movers: We moved into our house in 2010. I think we tipped $100 for a 3-guy crew.

Restaurants: Unless they sucked, we start at 20% and move up from there, depending upon how much of a mess our kids made.

Tipping is one of those things that, no matter how many times I do it or how much advice I get, I feel like I'm always doing it wrong.

Mike

And this is the key. Whether or not your are doing 'well', I don't think you should feel obligated to over-tip. With the exception of servers, people get paid for the job they do already. The $100 tip for the movers seems a little steep. Yeah, I am sure they appreciate it, but they shouldn't expect it. And the foreman who scoffed at the $50 tip can go 'f' himself. The company is already being paid handsomely to make the move in the first place.

[kozlodoev]

I'm always confused about what to give the pizza delivery guy.

I have recently come up with the approach of matching the delivery fee, but I'm not sure this is appropriate.

[outcry]

I'm always confused about what to give the pizza delivery guy.

I have recently come up with the approach of matching the delivery fee, but I'm not sure this is appropriate.

That sounds pretty cheap to me, although years and years ago I worked at a pizza joint and you'd be surprised at how many people don't tip at all.

[Monkhouse]

Tip based on the service provided. If your wife believes adamantly, that the job that was completed wasn't done well, then don't tip well.

I always tip 20%, and try to tip at least 15%, even if the service was bad, because I'm a server at a restaurant.

For car transport, you should at least tip. If the company is paying for it, they aren't providing the tip either, assuming that's based on your judgement call.

Usually for manual labor, depending on the care provided for your belongings, and whether or not everything was set in place. Some movers have a company policy that if some fragile things are broken, they will not be replaced, and the moving company isn't expected to reimburse the cost either.

Generally, if the service provided was excellent, I would tip above 50, maybe skip the pizza, and just give them cash. Unless they explicitly ask for it.

I always have had issues with this beforehand, but the general rule of thumb is anything involving manual labor try to at least go around past 25%. Its pretty tough physical work, and there may be some mistakes involved down the line.

EDIT: People do get paid for stuff like this, but they don't get paid extraordinarily well. I worked at a movers company, but had to opt out due to how much stress it put on my back, and only made 13.00 dollars an hour, which isn't that bad, but considering you're only getting the hours that people request you for. I would work 20 hours a week, and make around 200-300 depending on tips. On a very busy holiday week where people are moving around more, I would walk out with 600-700 with the tips included, and it definitely helped my income.

So I want your opinion as a former mover.  Do I tip by person or tip by the job?  You said tip more than $50, is that per head or altogether?  If it's per head, I feel like I might be penalized for you bringing a bigger crew and getting it done quicker, when I really don't care how long it takes as long as it gets done within a day.

What did you consider a good tip to you as an individual?


Edit, also were you moving one apartment to another, or just an apartment to a truck?  What's going on here is a local crew comes and packs our apartment and loads up the truck, then a truck driver hauls it the 10-12 hours away, then another local crew comes and unloads the truck.  The frugal part of me feels like I'm might be paying 2 full tips for 2 halves of a normal job.

Something around 50-75 is good, don't let the movers face dissuade you from thinking it wasn't a good tip, all in all you spent 100 bucks on him, anyways. Ideally, just give them cash as a tip though, I never offer food anymore.

When tipping movers, the usual tip should apply for restaurants, for instance 20% is pretty good, but I would usually add 4-5 extra %, because moving is tough and physical labor.

It varies to answer your last question. If you have a lot of stuff, we will usually bring in another group of movers to join us in tackling the job quicker.

[mef730]

Always tip at a restaurant no matter how bad the service was, unless the server was exceptionally rude to you (which wouldn't happen because they wouldn't work there in the first place). Always 20% and up. My now separated wife and I would go to this restaurant quite a bit and would get the same waitress maybe 50% of the time we went. We'd always tip her well because she was great, and in turn you could tell she went above and beyond because she knew we would tip her well at the end of the night. Being a waiter or waitress is a tough job on top of being paid less than minimum wage. People who don't tip well don't understand that.

One other issue with tipping is that, by tipping as a percentage of the bill, how much are you rewarding hard work and service. Should a waiter get an extra $100 for opening a $500 bottle of wine? I'm not so sure.

Example: Our kids love Friendly's, so we are there more than I'd like. But the waitresses are being run all over the place, cleaning up spills, getting some kid the red crayons instead of the blue one, returning a grilled cheese because it was cut into triangles rather than squares, etc. Yet our bill for a family of four is usually around $35 because it's so freaking cheap. And that's before whatever coupon we use. How can I leave her anything less than $10?

Mike